The Gem of Buried Secrets

IX.

I stared intently at the brown-haired guy sitting across me. I met with Richard an hour ago in some café they had in town. He seemed rather bored and we found this was a chance for us to bond.

"So, you're telling me that you actually had a rat as a pet?" I narrowed my eyes at him as he took a bite of his cupcake.

Annoyed, he rolled his eyes at me after having repeated his words ten times "I'm telling you it was a hamster, not a rat."

"Well, they're from the same species, ish."

"No."

"Definitely."

We narrowed our eyes at each other as we had a staring contest going on. We stayed like that, none of us daring to blink, for God knows how long. He only moved to fix his eyeglasses that sat on his nose.

"Do you wish to order anything else?" a waitress passed by our table as our contest intensified.

"Sir?" she didn't budge to move but kept standing beside us. Slowly, Richard couldn't take it anymore as he blinked rubbing his eyes.

He let out some hushed curse words before looking up to the waitress. He glared at her with irritation visibly laced on his face.

"Didn't you see we were in the middle of a contest? Huh, Megan?" was her name really Megan? I glanced at her badge to check her name, and surprisingly it read Stephanie.

"Uh- Richard her name is Stephanie, not Megan." a soft chuckle left my lips as I watched him glare at her more for making him lose.

"Thank you Me- I mean Stephanie, we don't need anything." I gave her a small smile before turning to Richard and giving him a victorious grin.

He narrowed his eyes at me before slumping back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest.

"You totally didn't win this thing fairly." he blew the hair that rested on his forehead angrily before turning his head to the side.

I leaned back in my chair crossing my legs over each other "Well yeah, I did."

"You're such a pooper."

I burst out laughing at the nickname he just gave me. What was that even supposed to mean? I laughed at his fake annoyed expression as I watched his face meld into an amused glare. I hadn't known him for much but I can say, we will be friends for some long time.

He stopped laughing suddenly and gave me an innocent smile.

"What are you up to?" I widened my eyes as I felt a weird cold sensation creep up my arms.

I looked down at my bare forearms and see water spreading across my fingers and creeping up to my body.

"Richard stop, Richard what are you doing!?" I shrieked out as a mischievous grin spread onto his face.

A knot formed between my eyebrows as I shook my hands to get it off but it only climbed up my arms faster.

"I swear to you, Richard if you don't cease this instant you won't like what's to come!" my voice got louder as the water reached my shoulders.

"Yeah, that's what you get for brutally beating me in my own game." an amused yet playful laugh left his lips.

I bared my fangs at him knowing well that my eyes will turn a yellowish red and scare him off. But it didn't.

"Yeah it ain't going to work on me" he shrugged closing his eyes content with himself.

Going up to bolt at him, I feel the water splashing my clothes all over. Furious, I jump at Richard making him fall in his chair and wetting him with me in the process.